


How Many Boards Make a Home?

by soidiallednine



Series: How Fitting and Sweet [5]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Alternate Universe - Spy, Angst, Enemies to Lovers, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, War, Wordplay Fic Challenge (One Direction)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:02:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25841785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soidiallednine/pseuds/soidiallednine
Summary: The planets Walloq and Traj have been at odds for nearly a century. If nothing is done soon to stop the war, the future of both worlds may be lost. Louis Tomlinson is a member of the Trajan resistance, operating undercover on Walloq. He hopes his mission will bring the resistance closer to ending the war and, in the process, save what’s left of his family. Dr. Harry Styles is the son of the president of Walloq, pampered and privileged - and the target of Louis’s mission. Harry is also playing a secret role in the conflict, one that puts him in grave danger on his home planet. When Louis’s cover is blown, he needs to flee Walloq and try to make it back to Traj safely. Whether he likes it or not, Harry is coming along for the ride.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Series: How Fitting and Sweet [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1817845
Comments: 10
Kudos: 33





	How Many Boards Make a Home?

**Author's Note:**

> First, apologies for how long this has taken me to post. This part uses the last prompt of the 2020 Wordplay Challenge (Board) but, obviously, I missed the deadline to be included in the collection. Thank you so much to the organizers of the challenge and everyone else who participated! If you're interested in the rest of the fics, here's how you can find them:
> 
> This is part of a Wordplay prompt challenge for the prompt "board". To read the amazing fics that were written by the others on this prompt, [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/board), and to see all fics written as part of the challenge (including years 1-3), [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/wordplay_fic_challenge/works). You can also find the masterpost for this year’s challenge [here](https://wordplayfics.tumblr.com/post/622306139518926848/wordplay-2020-every-week-for-five-weeks-a-prompt).
> 
> And here is a link to the ficpost for this fic: [How Fitting and Sweet](https://soidiallednine.tumblr.com/post/622909837066518528/how-fitting-and-sweet-by-soidiallednine).
> 
> There is one last part left to this story, so please check back soon for the ending!

As he had the day before, Harry awoke feeling warm and comfortable in Louis’s arms. And, as the day before, he could tell from his breathing pattern that Louis was awake. Unlike the day before, though, Harry was determined not to go from this contentment to exceedingly angry the moment they started talking. 

Yesterday had been extremely taxing, from finding out that Louis had betrayed him to his father’s forces to meeting Louis’s family. But Harry had learned a lot, both about Louis’s motivations and about his own feelings. His life on Walloq was lost, for now at least. To escape and find his way to Walloqi troops or a government outpost would only result in him being shipped back for interrogation and who knows what else. So, his best bet was to make a life here on Traj, with Louis. Perhaps if they were more honest with each other and worked together, he and Louis could help their planets and themselves.

“Are you still mad at me?” Louis asked, his breath puffing against the back of Harry’s neck.

“Yes and no.” 

While he was determined to move forward, he wasn’t letting Louis off the hook that easily. Louis hadn’t been in the state to have this discussion the night before, but they did need to talk some things through. And morning Louis was a lot more capable of it than nighttime Louis, in Harry’s experience.

Louis sighed heavily. “I am very sorry for turning you in as the Archer. But it was part of my mission, and I did it before I really knew you. I don’t know what I can do to make it up to you.”

Harry rolled over so that he could look Louis in the eyes.

“Lou, I understand why you did what you did. But whatever your reasons, you literally ruined my life and dragged me to another planet. The first part of that, at least, was completely intentional. I haven’t known where we were going or why or how we’d get there for weeks. It’s been a bit unsettling, to say the least.”

To his credit, Louis didn’t look away. In his beautiful blue eyes, Harry could see the conflicting emotions that were roiling through Louis. Harry didn’t think that Louis was any more sure of where things currently stood between them than he was. There was an undeniable connection, one that they hadn’t really given voice to. But every night for the last few weeks they had slept in each other’s arms. And Harry did believe that Louis had made a fuss with his colleagues to ensure that Harry was protected.

Louis laid back flat on his back and shifted his gaze to the ceiling. “Harry, my life has been fairly upended recently, too, if you haven’t noticed. I don’t know what to tell you. It is what it is.”

Louis had said that before: “It is what it is.” Harry thought it was a reflection of a life of terrible obstacles and little control. 

Harry was glad they were talking, but he wasn’t sure this conversation was necessarily going anywhere if Louis just shrugged things off as unchangeable. Time for direct questions.

“How long are we staying here in Haven?”

Louis rolled on his side to look at Harry again. “I don’t know for sure, but there are no plans to move you for the foreseeable future.”

“So, I should settle in, get to know the locals, so to speak.”

“We’re not expecting you to do anything right now, so, yeah. Make yourself at home.”

“As your husband,” Harry said, shifting closer to Louis. Louis shifted back a bit and blushed.

“Well, yes. That’s what everyone needs to believe. It’s the safest option.”

Harry scooched closer to Louis, who backed up more in response. Louis was basically hanging off the edge of the fairly narrow bed now.

“And is it what you want? Me to act like your husband? Share your life? Your bed?”

Harry leaned in towards Louis, not really having any intention to do anything other than force an uncomfortable Louis to define their boundaries.

Louis brought his hand up and gently pushed Harry away.

“Harry, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“What isn’t a good idea?”

“Well, you know, anything between us.”

“Why not? We’re clearly attracted to each other.”

Louis cleared his throat and looked away. Harry didn’t push against the hand on his chest holding him away.

“I just think it’s way too complicated. Like you said, I literally kidnapped you and dragged you to another planet. I don’t want to take further advantage of you. It wouldn’t be fair. You have enough to deal with.”

“Uh huh. That’s all stupid.”

“What?” Louis finally looked at Harry again. 

“You’re being stupid. I think that you think that you’re cursed, so you don’t deserve to find any happiness in the midst of all of this.”

Louis sighed and rolled off the bed, standing up and quickly walking over to where his clothes from the night before were piled.

“Harry, it’s too early to have this conversation. Can you at least let me have some breakfast before we break down my personal demons?”

“Lou, I think we should address this head on. You don’t always have to make things harder for yourself. If you’d just talk ---”

“Yoo hoo! Morning, boys! Coming in! Please stop whatever newlywed business you’re getting up to!”

Lottie, bustling in with breakfast and what looked like a bag of housewares, interrupted the conversation. Harry sighed and got up from bed, grabbing his clothes. This conversation would have to wait. Again.

“It’s safe, Lots,” said Louis, moving over to help her with her burden. “Thank you for bringing breakfast.”

“No problem, Lou. Today we should get you guys set up with admin so that you can get your rations. We’ve been getting a lot of good stuff from the camp garden this year, too. That helps a lot. And one of the guys that moved in last year has started a small bakery. There’s been a lot of new developments in the last few years, actually. Before you know it, we’re going to be a proper village again. I brought some kitchen stuff and extra towels, too. Not sure much was left here you can use.”

Louis and Harry sat at the small table with Lottie to help themselves to some rolls and a few pieces of fruit. If he was going to be here a while, Harry wanted to learn about how the camp operated and how he could fit in. Lottie would probably be his best source of information about all that.

“Is there a doctor in camp?” Harry asked.

“No, and we really need one. Every couple months we get a visit from the state health agency, but that’s not enough. There is a medical tent and a few volunteers who do what they can, but a real doctor would really help.”

“Well, maybe I can help out. Can you take me to the tent so I can see what we’re working with?”

“Sure! I’ll take you after we eat. And Lou, you should probably go see Liam in the admin tent and get signed up for everything. He’ll make sure you guys have all your cards in order and assign you whatever duties are available. More and more we’re just sorta figuring out what’s needed ourselves, without so much interference from the guards, and Liam has been great about keeping everyone organized and working together on good terms.”

Every time Liam had been mentioned since Niall had brought him up the day before, Louis had become visibly uncomfortable. Harry wondered what the two of them interacting would be like. Louis said he was over Liam, that he never thought of him, but just the mention of the guy provoked more of a reaction than Harry directly addressing the tension between them did. Harry did not like that at all. He’d gotten used to being Louis’s center of attention over the last few weeks.

“So, uh, when did Liam come back? Last I heard he was off at some mining colony.”

Louis was picking at his bun, and Harry could tell that he was purposefully trying to look nonchalant. Nope, Harry decided, he wasn’t going to like this Liam guy.

“About a year ago, I think?” Lottie seemed oblivious to the impact the discussion of Liam was having on either Louis or Harry. “He got injured and couldn’t work anymore, so he came home. He’s been a godsend, really. He’s helped everyone get a bit more organized. The government dropped a lot of their support a while back, so we really have to do a lot more on our own. It’s not like what you remember, Lou. It’s a lot more like a real village now. Well, most of the time. You still have to follow the rules, of course. But, you know how to do that, Lou. You’ve been in the guard so long, following rules must be second nature. How long until you’re deployed again?”

Harry looked to Louis, confused. Lottie seemed to think that Louis was still military. From what Louis had said, he hadn’t been a Trajan soldier in quite a while.

“Uh, well, I think it will be a bit.” Louis started cleaning up the mess from breakfast, “Um, that’s why I got married now. Finally time to do it. Got to take some leave for a while.”

Louis was messing around with the kitchen stuff that Lottie brought, trying to put it away in the small kitchen area of the little shack.

“I want to hear all about how you two met and who popped the question and the wedding and all that, but I need to get back to the little monsters before they burn down the camp or something. School starts in half an hour anyway.”

“There’s a school in camp?” Harry asked. It made total sense to have a school where there were kids, but for some reason Harry hadn’t thought about it.

“Just for the kids up to about 14,” said Lottie. “I’ve been helping out recently, and we have a lady who is actually trained as a teacher. She does a great job with the kids, but they can be a handful. I like helping out. She’s helped a few of the older kids get into some of the academies, too. Phoebe is studying to take the health academy entrance exam, and Daisy isn’t really sure what she’s going to do, but she’s been helping a lot in the garden. Maybe Phoebe could help you out in the medical tent? She’d love to work with a real doctor.”

“That would be great. I’d love to have her help. Do you have time to show me the tent before school?”

“Sure. Let’s go now. I’ll send Phoebe over later. Louis, after you go talk to admin could you swing by my place and take a look at the roof seal? It’s been dripping a bit lately. ”

“No problem, Lots.”

They left the small shack, and Harry and Lottie headed in one direction while Louis left to find admin and Liam. They agreed to all meet at Lottie’s for lunch later. 

The tent Lottie showed Harry to wasn’t as bad as he’d feared. It was made of strong canvas and had clearly been set up by people who knew how to outfit a field hospital. It was fairly well stocked, too. The camp just needed someone who knew how to run the place and treat patients. The one thing Harry didn’t like was the dirt floor. He’d much prefer a solid floor to keep the place more hygienic. He’d have to see what could be done with that. Harry set to work inventorying the supplies and setting things up the way he liked.

Phoebe came by not long after Lottie left, eager to help out and learn. Harry enjoyed explaining the supplies to her while he went through them. The pharmaceutical stock was fairly basic, but there were plenty of first aid supplies and materials for dealing with simple injuries and illnesses. Harry would have to talk to Lottie about how he could request more supplies.

Phoebe left shortly before lunchtime, saying she needed to go fetch Daisy and their weekly rations from the camp garden before Lottie could make lunch. Harry was moving some of the beds around when Louis showed up, lugging a few boxes.

“I brought some bandages that Liam had stored up in the admin office. Thought they’d be more useful here.” 

“Thanks. Can you put them on that shelf over there? How’s Liam?”

Harry watched closely, but for once, Louis didn’t visibly react to the name.

“Fine. Got me caught up on everything we need. Said they’re really grateful to have a doctor in the camp again. Aren’t you a psychiatrist, though? Not sure there’s much need for that around here.”

Harry thought there was a great need for mental health care around here, but likely he’d have to work up to that for most of the camp residents.

“I did go to medical school and complete my training. I am qualified to do more than talk to people about their feelings.”

“Ok, well, I’m glad that you have something to do here. Will make things easier.”

Louis was wandering around the tent poking at things, not looking at Harry. He seemed much more distant than he had been earlier.

“Everything look good here? Anything you need?”

“Well, I’d prefer it if there were a floor so I could keep the dirt more under control. And there are some supplies that are low. Lottie mentioned a health service, so I’ll talk to her about figuring out what can be requested. But I’ll make it work.”

“Let me see what I can do about a floor. I think I saw a pile of wood from one of the houses that had been torn down. Maybe we can use some of the boards to lay down a basic floor, at least.”

“Thanks, Lou. That would be great.”

They headed off to Lottie’s for lunch.

* * *

Several days passed. Harry took up residence as the camp’s doctor, and Louis started working with Liam on whatever needed fixing. Liam hadn’t changed much since they were young. Still a thoughtful guy who took his responsibilities. Louis saw no sign that Liam was an informant, and he was pretty sure that Niall had been wrong about that. Though their relationship from when they were young was over -- there were no lingering feelings on Louis’s side and Liam hadn’t indicated that he held a flame either -- Louis could still read Liam pretty well. From what he could tell, Liam was exactly who he presented himself to be, and he was working hard to make the camp run as efficiently as possible. Despite that, however, Louis didn’t open up to Liam or tell him anything about Harry or Louis’s resistance work. It was best to keep that as quiet as possible.

With Lottie and Liam’s help, he and Harry settled into camp life. Despite sharing a home and a bed every night, Louis and Harry spent little time alone together. They were exhausted from full days in the camp and fell asleep without speaking much each night. Louis was pretty comfortable with this. He didn’t really want to finish the conversation they’d started the first morning in camp. He was surprised Harry hadn’t pushed it, though. He was glad that Harry was no longer angry with him, and that he seemed to have accepted that he was going to be a long term resident of the camp. It was much easier to not talk about their relationship and to just go through the motions of being a married couple for the rest of the camp. He knew Harry deserved more of an explanation for his resistance to taking their relationship to another level, but Louis was relieved that Harry seemed distracted with setting up his medical practice and dealing with his patients. Most nights their conversations centered around how Harry could obtain the supplies he needed and whether the camp could enact new health protocols.

Whenever he found the time between the tasks Liam had him doing and when Harry wasn’t busy in the medical tent, Louis was working hard to put a floor in for Harry. He’d found a number of good, strong boards around camp that were cast-offs or otherwise unused. Liam was able to get him the tools he needed, and slowly Louis was installing a floor that, while not pretty, would serve the purpose of keeping the dirt down. Harry seemed to appreciate that he was getting the floor, but he huffed and puffed about being interrupted every time Louis showed up with an armful of boards. Louis hoped he’d like it when it was done, and he was no longer being interrupted.

There were a few resistance members in the camp, and they maintained a rudimentary communicator. Louis was able to speak with Niall and a few of his other colleagues about the next steps in the mission to leverage Harry. Louis was not thrilled about the next stage of the plan, but it was what he’d agreed to in exchange for bringing Harry to Haven to try to keep him safe. Niall had no sympathy.

“Lou, you need to get over whatever thing you have for him. He’s a Walloqi ponce who would sell you down the river in an instant given the chance. You can’t trust him.”

Louis disagreed, but he didn’t fight with Niall. Nothing he said would matter. Niall would likely never understand how Louis felt about Harry. Louis wasn’t even sure he understood it himself. Harry had been a mark, just another pawn in another mission. But the last few weeks had changed everything. Harry’s wellbeing was now of utmost importance to Louis, maybe second only to his family. Louis did whatever he could to show Harry that, even if he wasn’t ready to have a frank discussion about it.

About a week into their time in Haven, Lottie insisted that they needed to throw a wedding celebration for the two of them. Louis tried to dissuade her, but it was no use. She was determined to have a party. Harry seemed equally enthusiastic and most meals the last few days had been the two of them putting their heads together to plan the party.

The day of the party was a rest day in camp, and everyone seemed focused on either setting up the communal tent for the party or dolling themselves up for the night’s festivities. Harry had left their shack pretty early to go help Lottie and some others cook, so Louis took the opportunity to try to get some work done on the floor in the medical tent. He thought he had enough boards now, but it would take some work to fit them all together into a finished floor. Louis pulled out a tape measure and started sizing up the boards and planning how he’d lay them out in the last section of the tent.

Hours later, Louis was still hard at work when Harry found him in the tent.

“Lou! We’re supposed to be at the party in 10 minutes! Why aren’t you ready?”

“Huh?”

Louis looked up and froze. Harry was dressed in all black, his shirt made of some sheer material that allowed Louis to see his skin beneath. He looked beautiful. Not that Harry didn’t look good in the sweats and random clothing they’d been wearing over the last few weeks, but he was made to wear beautiful clothes. 

“Well, are you coming?” Harry huffed, picking at his clothes. “You should probably grab a quick shower first. Lottie and I picked some clothes out for you. They’re laying on our bed. I need to go check that the food is ready. Can you get ready yourself?”

Louis resented that Harry didn’t think him capable of showering and changing clothes on his own, but to be fair, he had completely forgotten that he needed to get ready for the party. He’d been so determined to get this floor done. About a quarter of the floor space still wasn’t covered.

“Yes, Harry, I can get dressed on my own.”

“OK, well, I’ll see you there.” With that, Harry was gone. 

Louis sighed and began to pick up his tools and clean up the sawdust. He wasn’t looking forward to this party. Seeing Harry all dressed up had been nice, but pretending to be newlyweds for the whole camp wasn’t his idea of a good way to spend an evening. Maybe showing off for the camp would make Harry pay attention to him for a bit, though. Louis was very glad that Harry had settled into camp so well, but he missed being the center of his attention. 

Half an hour later a clean and dressed Louis finally made it to the communal tent. The party was already in full swing, tables filled with people eating and talking. A bunch of teenage boys were huddled in a corner playing some kind of game that was just an excuse for showing off to a group of teenage girls, including Phoebe and Daisy, at a nearby table. A couple of the older camp residents had a few instruments and were playing some background music. Louis was sure there’d eventually be dancing. Louis spotted Lottie behind a long table laden with food, dishing things out.

“There you are! Come on, Lou, we’re supposed to be greeting everyone.” Harry swooped in and grabbed Louis by the arm, pulling him forward into the chaos. 

Several hours later most of the guests were gone, and Louis was ready to explode. He had been overwhelmed with all the people, but mostly it was Harry who was responsible for Louis’s agitated state. All night long Harry had played his part as a newlywed with great enthusiasm, constantly touching Louis, pulling him near, or planting soft kisses on his cheek and neck. At one point Louis had wandered away from Harry, who was in a deep discussion with someone about wound care, and found Liam at one of the tables at the edge of the tent. Louis grabbed a drink and joined him, happy to just sit a moment with someone he didn’t have to be “on” for. Louis had barely sat down when Harry swooped in and sat in his lap. Louis instinctively reached his arms around him, trying to keep him from immediately sliding to the floor. Louis was pretty sure that Harry had had more than his fair share of the Trajan whisky going around.

“Lou, baby, there you are!” 

Without even glancing at Liam, Harry leaned his head onto Louis’s shoulder and started nibbling at his ear and the side of his neck. 

“Ah, ah, ah, Harry! Stop now. You’re being rude to Liam.”

Harry ignored Louis, shifting in his lap and sucking hard on his neck. He was going to leave a mark.

Louis looked at Liam over Harry’s head, apology in his eyes. Liam just shook his head and laughed.

“I’m glad you found someone, Lou. I’ll leave you two to it.” Liam winked and wandered across the tent to help Lottie with the food.

“He’s gone now, Harry, you can stop the show.”

“Hmm . . .” 

Harry didn’t stop, in fact he reached up and worked his fingers into Louis’s hair, pulling his head to the side so he had more access to his neck. 

“Harry . . .”

Louis gasped as Harry shifted in his lap, grinding down a bit. Louis’s hands had worked their way up Harry’s back, and, without full consciousness of what he was doing, Louis was clenching and grabbing at Harry.

“Lou, baby,” Harry’s nibbling continued up under Louis’s chin. “Take me home, baby.”

Louis was caught up in the moment, but he knew they couldn’t leave the party yet. And they couldn’t continue this here in the tent.

“Harry. Harry!” Louis worked to gently extract himself from Harry’s grip. “Harry, we’ve still got people to talk to. We can’t do this here.”

Harry pulled back and looked at Louis. Harry’s cheeks were flushed and his lips wet. But Louis could see that his eyes were clear. Perhaps he hadn’t had as much of the whiskey as he’d thought.

“Later, then,” Harry said. “We’re going to finally deal with this.”

Louis wasn’t so sure what Harry meant by “deal with this,” but he assumed it would involve a long uncomfortable conversation about feelings. Louis thought that might actually be worse than all the socializing he’d been forced into all evening.

“Sure, Harry. Whatever you want. Let’s go talk to the kids’ teacher.”

Harry stood up and smoothed out his clothes, apparently willing to go along with Louis for now. 

They spent the rest of the evening going from table to table talking to everyone, Harry attached to Louis’s side the whole time. Whenever he could, Harry touched Louis -- a hand at his back, a caress on the shoulder, an adjustment of his clothes. Each touch was like fire licking at Louis’s skin. He wasn’t sure if Harry was purposefully trying to drive him crazy or was touching him just to sell the married couple story. Either way, Louis was in a heightened state of agitation by the time it was just he, Harry, Lottie, and Liam left in the tent. The younger kids had been sent home to bed a few hours earlier. Liam was helping Lottie clean up and Louis was trying to help, too, but Harry was wrapped around him, preventing him from doing much.

“OK, boys, time to go home. We’ve seen enough for one night,” Lottie said, laughing and pushing Louis and Harry away from her. Louis had been trying to help her wrap food, but it wasn’t going well.

“Huh?” Harry grunted, arms around Louis’s waist and lips sucking at his neck again. Harry really liked Louis’s neck, apparently.

“Go enjoy your honeymoon. Liam can help me clean up.”

Louis could tell Harry wasn’t really paying attention to Lottie. It was time to take him home, though Louis wasn’t exactly looking forward to the talk he thought was coming. Harry may be all action, no talking right now, but Louis was sure that would change once they were alone.

“C’mon, Harry. Let’s go home.”

It was a moonless night and there weren’t many lights still on around the camp, so the walk back to their shack was dim and required attention. Louis guided Harry, who seemed more focused on clinging to Louis than where he was going, as best he could, but, inevitably, they tripped over a peg holding up one of the tents and crashed to the ground.

“Oooof!”

Louis had landed mostly on Harry, who somehow had ended up flat on his back. Louis didn’t think he was hurt, but he needed a moment to gather himself. He couldn’t see much of Harry in the dark, but when Harry started giggling, Louis assumed he was OK.

“This isn’t funny!” Louis huffed. “We could have hurt ourselves.”

“Actually,” Harry said, between giggles, “I’m fairly sure I twisted my ankle.”

“What?!” Louis tried to scramble to pull himself up off Harry, but Harry had wrapped his arms around Louis, holding him down.

“It’s fine, Lou. I’ll be fine.”

Louis’s eyes were starting to adjust to the dark. He could just make out Harry’s face a few inches away. Harry’s giggling stopped, and the two of them locked eyes. Harry pulled Louis further onto him, shifting so that Louis rested flat on his chest with his legs between Harry’s slightly spread ones. The agitation that had been roiling in Louis before they fell flared to life again, and he squirmed. 

Harry gasped, his hands moving to Louis’s hips and stilling him.

“Lou, stop, please. Unless you want the night to end here in the mud.”

Louis put his arms down on either side of Harry so he could hold his head up to look at him. He stilled.

“Harry, you’ve been all over me all night and now you want ME to stop.”

Even in the darkness, Louis could tell that Harry was blushing.

“Yeah, well, you squirming on top of me like that will cut the night short, is all I’m saying.”

“And just what else do you expect to happen tonight, Harry?”

“Lou, come on. Do we really need to talk about this again?”

“Wait, you don’t want to talk about our feelings?”

Harry sighed.

“No, Lou, I don’t. We’ve tried that and it hasn’t exactly worked. I think it’s time for doing, not talking.”

“And what is it you want to do, Harry?”

“This.”

Harry shifted his hands to the either side of Louis’s head, pulling him down to kiss him. Harry had kissed all over Louis’s neck and shoulder and jaw and cheek, but this was the first time their lips had met.

The kiss was soft and sweet, not at all what you’d expect laying in the mud after a night of Harry’s groping. Harry nipped at Louis’s lower lip, teasing it with his tongue. Louis shifted his head to the side and sucked on Harry’s upper lip. Their tongues began to entwine and the kiss began to deepen, still sweet and soft.

Louis pulled back and looked down at Harry.

“You’ve been driving me crazy all night, you know that don’t you?”

“The thought had crossed my mind,” Harry said with a smile.

“I’m sure the whole camp is quite convinced we’re married. You’re a very good fake husband.”

“I aim to please.”

“Should we get up out of the dirt and take this home?” Louis said, laughing.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

Louis got up first and helped Harry get to his feet. Harry’s ankle didn’t seem too bad now that a few minutes had passed, and he was able to walk on it. Louis thought he’d stick close, just in case, and the two of them stumbled home arm in arm, stopping now and then to continue their sweet kisses.

When they got to their shack and lit a few candles, Louis and Harry stopped and stared at each other. Both were breathless from the kisses and the journey home. Louis’s insides were roiling. He wanted Harry more than anything in the world right now. But in his heart he knew that taking their relationship further -- that consummating their marriage, already legal in the eyes of the law -- could be disastrous. There were still things Harry didn’t know. And, as much as Louis wanted Harry, he didn’t want to taint him with his terrible luck. 

“Lou, I can see you second-guessing yourself. Please, just come to me and forget everything else. You’re not cursed, you’re not manipulating me. I know exactly what I’m doing. I want you, I want this, here and now. We’ll deal with tomorrow when it comes. Tonight, please just love me.”

Louis couldn’t resist Harry, who seemed so sure of himself. His worries didn’t go away, but they faded to the background as Harry came towards him and kissed him again.

“Please just love me, Lou. For tonight.”

Louis could do that. He could give Harry love for tonight. And he did.

* * *

Harry woke up alone the next morning. He’d slept a bit later than normal, so likely Louis was already up and out somewhere in camp. Harry stretched and rolled over, loath to get up and move on from the night before. He could still taste Louis on his tongue and feel his hands all over his body. Their first night together had been everything Harry could have wanted. He hoped that Louis could see now that being together would make them both happy and that there was nothing to be afraid of.

Eventually Harry pushed himself out of bed and got ready for the day. He knew that he’d probably have a few patients that morning complaining of hangovers, so he headed toward the medical tent. He didn’t have formal hours there yet. He’d have to talk to Liam about how he should establish those. 

Harry still wasn’t keen on Liam, but Louis really hadn’t paid him much attention since they’d been in camp. Perhaps he should try to make friends with him.

Harry ran into a few people on the way to the medical tent who wanted to chat about the party and say good morning, so it ended up taking him more than twenty minutes just to make his way across camp. There was no one lined up outside the tent, though, so Harry thought he’d still likely beaten the hangover patients likely to come.

Harry let himself into the tent and pulled up short. The floor was done! It hadn’t been done when Harry had come to get Louis for the party the night before. Had Louis gotten up early to finish it?

It looked great. The boards were mismatched here and there, but Louis had managed to fit them all together so that the floor was solid and even. Harry was grateful. He could think of a few ways he’d show Louis his gratitude later.

Harry, still admiring the new floor, moved over to the corner of the tent where he’d set up a table to use as a desk. On his chair was an envelope with his name on it. Harry pulled out the letter inside.

> _Harry,_
> 
> _Please know that I have never meant to hurt you. From the moment I met you, I knew that everything about my mission would have to change, but I couldn’t imagine that my whole life would change. I’m sorry that I’ve ruined your life. I’m sorry that I dragged you here. I’m sorry for everything bad that is probably going to happen. But I’m not sorry for any of the days I’ve spent with you. I’m not sorry that I got to love you._
> 
> _I always knew that our time here together was short, but I didn’t know that I would have to leave today. Someone came to find me early this morning to tell me about the orders from Castr. The timing is terrible. I’m sorry about that, too._
> 
> _I don’t know when I’ll be back. Please don’t worry about me. Niall will get you updates on my whereabouts if he can. Please tell my family that I received orders to report back to my command post. And please look after them for me._
> 
> _Always in my heart,_
> 
> _Louis_

Harry sank to the floor. The sturdy floor that Louis had built for him. Louis was gone. He’d left him here alone. 

Harry was numb. He reached for the envelope to put the letter back in and something fell out and bounced under the table. Harry crawled under the table and had to pry the object out from between two boards. He couldn’t quite see what it was, so he backed out from under the table and opened his hand.

It was a bronze crescent moon medallion on a chain.

Harry began to cry softly, tears streaming down as he fiddled with the clasp and put the chain around his neck. 

Like the woman in Louis’s story, Harry was going to have to wait for his love to come back. Harry wasn’t Trajan, though, and he didn’t believe in curses or bad luck. Harry knew that someday Louis would be back, and they’d have a life together. 

He was sure of it.

  
  



End file.
